don quixote(堂·吉珂德)-第179部分

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great　Sancho　Panza's　mind。〃
　　To　which　Sancho　replied；　〃Ever　since　I　have　sniffed　the　governorship
I　have　got　rid　of　the　humours　of　a　squire；　and　I　don't　care　a　wild　fig
for　all　the　duennas　in　the　world。〃
　　They　would　have　carried　on　this　duenna　dispute　further　had　they
not　heard　the　notes　of　the　fife　and　drums　once　more；　from　which　they
concluded　that　the　Distressed　Duenna　was　making　her　entrance。　The
duchess　asked　the　duke　if　it　would　be　proper　to　go　out　to　receive　her；
as　she　was　a　countess　and　a　person　of　rank。
　　〃In　respect　of　her　being　a　countess；〃　said　Sancho；　before　the　duke
could　reply；　〃I　am　for　your　highnesses　going　out　to　receive　her；　but
in　respect　of　her　being　a　duenna；　it　is　my　opinion　you　should　not　stir
a　step。〃
　　〃Who　bade　thee　meddle　in　this；　Sancho？〃　said　Don　Quixote。
　　〃Who；　senor？〃　said　Sancho；　〃I　meddle　for　I　have　a　right　to　meddle；
as　a　squire　who　has　learned　the　rules　of　courtesy　in　the　school　of
your　worship；　the　most　courteous　and　best…bred　knight　in　the　whole
world　of　courtliness；　and　in　these　things；　as　I　have　heard　your
worship　say；　as　much　is　lost　by　a　card　too　many　as　by　a　card　too
few；　and　to　one　who　has　his　ears　open；　few　words。〃
　　〃Sancho　is　right；〃　said　the　duke；　〃we'll　see　what　the　countess　is
like；　and　by　that　measure　the　courtesy　that　is　due　to　her。〃
　　And　now　the　drums　and　fife　made　their　entrance　as　before；　and　here
the　author　brought　this　short　chapter　to　an　end　and　began　the　next；
following　up　the　same　adventure；　which　is　one　of　the　most　notable　in
the　history。
　　

CHAPTER　XXXVIII
　　WHEREIN　IS　TOLD　THE　DISTRESSED　DUENNA'S　TALE　OF　HER　MISFORTUNES

　　FOLLOWING　the　melancholy　musicians　there　filed　into　the　garden　as
many　as　twelve　duennas；　in　two　lines；　all　dressed　in　ample　mourning
robes　apparently　of　milled　serge；　with　hoods　of　fine　white　gauze　so
long　that　they　allowed　only　the　border　of　the　robe　to　be　seen。
Behind　them　came　the　Countess　Trifaldi；　the　squire　Trifaldin　of　the
White　Beard　leading　her　by　the　hand；　clad　in　the　finest　unnapped　black
baize；　such　that；　had　it　a　nap；　every　tuft　would　have　shown　as　big
as　a　Martos　chickpea；　the　tail；　or　skirt；　or　whatever　it　might　be
called；　ended　in　three　points　which　were　borne　up　by　the　hands　of
three　pages；　likewise　dressed　in　mourning；　forming　an　elegant
geometrical　figure　with　the　three　acute　angles　made　by　the　three
points；　from　which　all　who　saw　the　peaked　skirt　concluded　that　it　must
be　because　of　it　the　countess　was　called　Trifaldi；　as　though　it　were
Countess　of　the　Three　Skirts；　and　Benengeli　says　it　was　so；　and　that
by　her　right　name　she　was　called　the　Countess　Lobuna；　because　wolves
bred　in　great　numbers　in　her　country；　and　if；　instead　of　wolves；
they　had　been　foxes；　she　would　have　been　called　the　Countess
Zorruna；　as　it　was　the　custom　in　those　parts　for　lords　to　take
distinctive　titles　from　the　thing　or　things　most　abundant　in　their
dominions；　this　countess；　however；　in　honour　of　the　new　fashion　of　her
skirt；　dropped　Lobuna　and　took　up　Trifaldi。
　　The　twelve　duennas　and　the　lady　came　on　at　procession　pace；　their
faces　being　covered　with　black　veils；　not　transparent　ones　like
Trifaldin's；　but　so　close　that　they　allowed　nothing　to　be　seen　through
them。　As　soon　as　the　band　of　duennas　was　fully　in　sight；　the　duke；　the
duchess；　and　Don　Quixote　stood　up；　as　well　as　all　who　were　watching
the　slow…moving　procession。　The　twelve　duennas　halted　and　formed　a
lane；　along　which　the　Distressed　One　advanced；　Trifaldin　still　holding
her　hand。　On　seeing　this　the　duke；　the　duchess；　and　Don　Quixote　went
some　twelve　paces　forward　to　meet　her。　She　then；　kneeling　on　the
ground；　said　in　a　voice　hoarse　and　rough；　rather　than　fine　and
delicate；　〃May　it　please　your　highnesses　not　to　offer　such
courtesies　to　this　your　servant；　I　should　say　to　this　your　handmaid；
for　I　am　in　such　distress　that　I　shall　never　be　able　to　make　a
proper　return；　because　my　strange　and　unparalleled　misfortune　has
carried　off　my　wits；　and　I　know　not　whither；　but　it　must　be　a　long　way
off；　for　the　more　I　look　for　them　the　less　I　find　them。〃
　　〃He　would　be　wanting　in　wits；　senora　countess；〃　said　the　duke；
〃who　did　not　perceive　your　worth　by　your　person；　for　at　a　glance　it
may　be　seen　it　deserves　all　the　cream　of　courtesy　and　flower　of　polite
usage；〃　and　raising　her　up　by　the　hand　he　led　her　to　a　seat　beside　the
duchess；　who　likewise　received　her　with　great　urbanity。　Don　Quixote
remained　silent；　while　Sancho　was　dying　to　see　the　features　of
Trifaldi　and　one　or　two　of　her　many　duennas；　but　there　was　no
possibility　of　it　until　they　themselves　displayed　them　of　their　own
accord　and　free　will。
　　All　kept　still；　waiting　to　see　who　would　break　silence；　which　the
Distressed　Duenna　did　in　these　words：　〃I　am　confident；　most　mighty
lord；　most　fair　lady；　and　most　discreet　company；　that　my　most
miserable　misery　will　be　accorded　a　reception　no　less　dispassionate
than　generous　and　condolent　in　your　most　valiant　bosoms；　for　it　is　one
that　is　enough　to　melt　marble；　soften　diamonds；　and　mollify　the
steel　of　the　most　hardened　hearts　in　the　world；　but　ere　it　is
proclaimed　to　your　hearing；　not　to　say　your　ears；　I　would　fain　be
enlightened　whether　there　be　present　in　this　society；　circle；　or
company；　that　knight　immaculatissimus；　Don　Quixote　de　la
Manchissima；　and　his　squirissimus　Panza。〃
　　〃The　Panza　is　here；〃　said　Sancho；　before　anyone　could　reply；　〃and
Don　Quixotissimus　too；　and　so；　most　distressedest　Duenissima；　you
may　say　what　you　willissimus；　for　we　are　all　readissimus　to　do　you　any
servissimus。〃
　　On　this　Don　Quixote　rose；　and　addressing　the　Distressed　Duenna；
said；　〃If　your　sorrows；　afflicted　lady；　can　indulge　in　any　hope　of
relief　from　the　valour　or　might　of　any　knight…errant；　here　are　mine；
which；　feeble　and　limited　though　they　be；　shall　be　entirely　devoted　to
your　service。　I　am　Don　Quixote　of　La　Mancha；　whose　calling　it　is　to
give　aid　to　the　needy　of　all　sorts；　and　that　being　so；　it　is　not
necessary　for　you；　senora；　to　make　any　appeal　to　benevolence；　or
deal　in　preambles；　only　to　tell　your　woes　plainly　and
straightforwardly：　for　you　have　hearers　that　will　know　how；　if　not
to　remedy　them；　to　sympathise　with　them。〃
　　On　hearing　this；　the　Distressed　Duenna　made　as　though　she　would
throw　herself　at　Don　Quixote's　feet；　and　actually　did　fall　before　them
and　said；　as　she　strove　to　embrace　them；　〃Before　these　feet　and　legs　I
cast　myself；　O　unconquered　knight；　as　before；　what　they　are；　the
foundations　and　pillars　of　knight…errantry；　these　feet　I　desire　to
kiss；　for　upon　their　steps　hangs　and　depends　the　sole　remedy　for　my
misfortune；　O　valorous　errant；　whose　veritable　achievements　leave
behind　and　eclipse　the　fabulous　ones　of　the　Amadises；　Esplandians；　and
Belianises！〃　Then　turning　from　Don　Quixote　to　Sancho　Panza；　and
grasping　his　hands；　she　said；　〃O　thou；　most　loyal　squire　that　ever
served　knight…errant　in　this　present　age　or　ages　past；　whose
goodness　is　more　extensive　than　the　beard　of　Trifaldin　my　companion
here　of　present；　well　mayest　thou　boast　thyself　that；　in　serving　the
great　Don　Quixote；　thou　art　serving；　summed　up　in　one；　the　whole
host　of　knights　that　have　ever　borne　arms　in　the　world。　I　conjure
thee；　by　what　thou　owest　to　thy　most　loyal　goodness；　that　thou　wilt
become　my　kind　intercessor　with　thy　master；　that　he　speedily　give
aid　to　this　most　humble　and　most　unfortunate　countess。〃
　　To　this　Sancho　made　answer；　〃As　to　my　goodness；　senora；　being　as
long　and　as　great　as　your　squire's　beard；　it　matters　very　little　to
me；　may　I　have　my　soul　well　bearded　and　moustached　when　it　comes　to
quit　this　life；　that's　the　point；　about　beards　here　below　I　care
little　or　nothing；　but　without　all　these　blandishments　and　prayers；
I　will　beg　my　master　（for　I　know　he　loves　me；　and；　besides；　he　has
need　of　me　just　now　for　a　certain　business）　to　help　and　aid　your
worship　as　far　as　he　can；　unpack　your　woes　and　lay　them　before　us；　and
leave　us　to　deal　with　them；　for　we'll　be　all　of　one　mind。〃
　　The　duke　and　duchess；　as　it　was　they　who　had　made　the　experiment
of　this　adventure；　were　ready　to　burst　with　laughter　at　all　this；
and　between　themselves　they　commended　the　clever　acting　of　the
Trifaldi；　who；　returning　to　her　seat；　said；　〃Queen　Dona　Maguncia
reigned　over　the　famous　kingdom　of　Kandy；　which　lies　between　the　great
Trapobana　and　the　Southern　Sea；　two　leagues　beyond　Cape　Comorin。　She
was　the　widow　of　King　Archipiela；　her　lord　and　husband；　and　of　their
marriage　they　had　issue　the　Princess　Antonomasia；　heiress　of　the
kingdom；　which　Princess　Antonomasia　was　reared　and　brought　up　under　my
care　and　direction；　I　being　the　oldest　and　highest　in　rank　of　her
mother's　duennas。　Time　passed；　and　the　young　Antonomasia　reached　the
age　of　fourteen；　and　such　a　perfection　of　beauty；　that　nature　could
not　raise　it　higher。　Then；　it　must　not　be　supposed　her　intelligence
was　childish；　she　was　as　intelligent　as　she　was　fair；　and　she　was
fairer　than　all　the　world；　and　is　so　still；　unless　the　envious　fates
and　hard…hearted　sisters　three　have　cut　for　her　the　thread　of　life。
But　that　they　have　not；　for　Heaven　will　not　suffer　so　great　a　wrong　to
Earth；　as　it　would　be　to　pluck　unripe　the　grapes　of　the　fairest